The UN delivers humanitarian assistance to the disaster stricken area of Abu-Ghraib

Baghdad, 27 April 2014 – In a concerted effort between the UN Country Team, its implementing partners and Iraqi authorities, humanitarian assistance was delivered today to the population affected by the floods in Abu-Ghraib district.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank our interlocutors on the ground for facilitating the dispatch of much needed assistance to the affected population on such short notice”, the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Iraq (SRSG), Mr. Nickolay Mladenov, said. “The UN will continue to address the immediate needs of the thousands of families affected by the flooding”, he continued.

An inter-agency rapid assessment mission had taken place on April 24, in coordination with the Provincial Council Chair and the Mayor of Abu-Ghraib to evaluate the humanitarian situation caused by the recent flooding in Abu Ghraib District, the number of people affected as well as their immediate needs. 12,000 families have lost their crops, livestock and were constrained to be displaced inside and outside Abu Ghraib, while another 11,000 families were found at risk, some of them starting to flee, with urgent need for food, water tanks, hygiene kits and health care.